Deal
by bholley
Summary: In the last battle, Belle stands up to Gaston in the Beast's place. What happens if she is the one to die? Can the enchantress give them a happy ending anyway? AU. Rated Kplus for violence, character death.
1. Chapter 1

Belle struggled out from under the rubble of her basement and helped her father out after her. She could still see the men of the village as they marched through the town to the castle where the beast was. They took her mirror, she realized, and fumed silently. She bade her father to stay home and before he had a chance to argue with her, she was off, riding on Phillipe to the castle, to warn the Beast. She had seen his despair in the mirror. She saw the weakness and apathy of deep hopelessness in his eyes and she knew he wouldn't stand a chance against all of those men. The horse, sensing her panic and worry, broke into a gallop and sped through the forest. They cut their own trail, avoiding the paths the men would surely be following. They skirted a clearing in which the sounds of axe blows echoed. They were making a battering ram.

As Belle reached the castle gates she could hear the tramping of the men behind her and once inside, she locked the gate behind her. She knew it wouldn't deter them much, but it might give them pause. She rushed to the door and slammed against it. It flew open, scattering a few mobile household objects.

"They're coming!" She shouted frantically in passing, "The entire village is coming. They're here to kill the beast!" The sound of the gate slamming open gave speed to her feet as she shot across the room and down a hall, colliding with a suit of armor. It crashed to the floor, tripping her in her headlong flight to the west wing. She found herself sprawled on the floor at the base of the twin staircases. She felt the pounding of boots through the floor underneath her aching head.

Several pieces of furniture rushed past her to join the fray that had already begun at the breached castle doors. Still screaming for the Beast, she began to don the fallen armor, hoping to give him some time to come back to his senses. It seemed the army of furniture was holding its own, but Gaston pushed through. He stopped quickly at the sight of an armored figure standing in front of him. It was wearing a helmet and so was unrecognizable. Could this be the Beast? Gaston had always imagined it being taller, as Maurice had said. So the old man really was crazy. This was no Beast, just a man.

"So, you have come to fight me, Beast?" Gaston shouted, drawing an arrow back on its string. Belle stood stock still, wondering at his exclamation.

"This will be your last fight! Belle is MINE!" He shouted and loosed the arrow. It struck Belle in the shoulder, but only scraped her skin, as the armor was much too big for her and left lots of room. As it was, it still hurt, but not enough to make her cry out. Instead, an intense anger welled up in her stubborn body. She hefted a battle axe and moved forward. She knew not what she intended to do once she reached her newfound worst enemy, but she hoped that at any minute, the Beast would come roaring down those stairs and make short work of this horrid man.

The next arrow pierced more deeply, as it hit a less protected place, just underneath her ribs. She grunted in pain, but still refused to cry out. _It's not very deep. It's not very deep._ She told herself, trying to steel her nerves. The pain only sufficed to fuel her anger. She resumed her relentless trudge forward but every breath came faster and more painfully. Gaston did not have time to ready another arrow when the battle axe came swinging at his head. He scrambled backwards. _Is this creature invincible?_ He quickly loosed another arrow, moving backwards as he did to gain more time. This one glanced off of the pursuer's helmet, creating a dent and no more.

_Where is the Beast?_ Belle wondered frantically. The fight was getting more and more intense and perhaps the wound in her side was deeper than she had thought. She swung again at the man, who dodged to pick up an axe of his own. They swung at each other at the same time. The axe heads collided and shattered to pieces. Gaston wrung out his stinging hands, a hideous grimace on his face. His armored adversary apparently fared worse, as the figure stepped back, shaken. Gaston's grimace turned to an evil sneer as he pulled out a dagger and leapt toward the figure.

Belle could barely lift her shocked arms, but the sight of Gaston wielding a knife gave extra strength to her arms and she brought a gauntleted hand smashing into his face. The cleft in his chin got a little bigger as a result and the man fell to the ground, spitting out a few shattered teeth. Belle stumbled over him, only to receive a slash across the legs as a result. She struck out at him with an arm as he tried to regain his feet. Dazed, he fell back to the ground, the dagger sliding away from him on the stones. Belle seized it and jumped onto the man, holding the dagger just above his neck.

Belle tried to make her voice as deep as possible. "Leave here," She growled, trying to imitate the Beast's voice, "And never return." She stood and backed away. Her voice had been magnified by the helmet and deepened. The hate in her voice was also amplified and Gaston turned tail and ran. It was such a pity that he ran the wrong way out from the gate, got lost in the woods, and was promptly eaten by wolves. Belle had much more pressing matters.

She pulled the heavy helmet off of her head and let it drop to the stones with a clatter. A trail of blood marked where she had walked. She let the rest of the armor drop from her body as she staggered toward the stairs. _What has become of the Beast? Certainly he heard me call? Oh, I hope nobody has harmed him._ She struggled up the stairs, her arms and legs aching from the beating they had taken. She tripped and stumbled over broken furniture on her path to the west wing, one hand clutching her bleeding side, the other reaching out for balance.

"Beast!" She called, "Beast?" She staggered into the room with the rose and cast about with her eyes for her friend.

"Who is it?" An angry voice answered.

"Beast," She said harshly, disappointment evident in her tone. "Don't you recognize my voice?" There was a pause. She still could not see him.

"Belle?" He said finally. She saw him then. He was on the balcony, looking back to her through the rain. "You came back!" He exclaimed, and rushed back to her. His thoughts were in a turmoil. He thought for sure she had gone for good, and perhaps even sent these men here to kill him. He was waiting for some warrior or another to come in and slay him. He could only hope that it would be quick and painless. But this… he hadn't expected.

"Of course I came back." She exclaimed, her voice softening not only from relief at seeing her friend alive and well, but from her rapidly weakening condition. He obviously hadn't seen her wounds yet. "Did you think I wouldn't?" The Beast didn't know how to respond to this, so silence fell upon them. Beast noticed the silence. There were no sounds of battle as there had been before, and nobody calling out to him presumably to draw him out and to slay him.

"What happened?" He asked finally. Belle opened her mouth to speak, but a wave of dizziness brought her to her knees. She knew she must be bleeding out.

"Beast…" She mumbled, losing consciousness. "Please help me…"

"What's wrong?" He asked, voice full of concern as he dropped to his knees beside her. She didn't respond beyond moving her bloodied hand away from the wound in her side. Realization dawned in the eyes of the Beast, but Belle did not see it. She swayed and would have fallen if the Beast hadn't gripped her by the shoulders and laid her down. His hand came away blood-stained. A look of panic passed over his face as Belle's eyes fluttered weakly.

"Belle!" He almost shouted. "No!" He was bending over her now, on his knees, beside the table that held a single enchanted rose with a single enchanted petal.

"I'm glad you're okay." She said weakly. "I was worried."

"Please don't leave me." Beast implored, tears beginning to form in his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry I left you…" the girl said, her brown eyes going out of focus. "I had to help… my father…"

"It's okay, it's okay, "the Beast muttered. "Mrs. Potts! Lumiere! Cogsworth!" He shouted, then turned back to the girl.

"Why did you come back?" He asked gently.

"I thought… they would… kill you. …I care about you… Beast. I… love you." She gasped finally. Her eyes closed and her head lolled to one side. She stopped breathing. The tears began to fall. The beast lowered his forehead to her still face, tears falling on her bloody shoulder.

"I love you too, Belle." He said, his voice husky with tears and sadness. At that moment, her heart stopped beating.

Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts arrived in time to see her die. The beast could only stare down at her face, still beautiful even in death. His sorrow was overwhelming. He felt as though the breath had been knocked out of him and for a few seconds he sat there in shock. He hadn't the strength even to roar his pain. He collapsed next to her small body and cried, his whole body shaking.

Lights erupted around them and the glass over the rose shattered. The enchantress erupted from the midst of the naked rose and looked down at the furious and sad Beast. Before he could say a word or even swipe at his tormentor, she pointed her wand at him and he transformed into a man and his servants into people themselves. At first delighted with his new old form, he smiled, but his smile died when he looked down. Belle still lay on the floor, dead.

"What is the meaning of this?" He roared finally.

"The spell is broken oh once cursed prince," She said. "You learned to love and to love in return."

"What good is life as a man if my only reason to live is gone?" He howled, reverting to his beast-like habits.

"There is an option." She said simply, and waited for the Beast to hold still before she continued.

"The girl can live again, if you and all of your staff wish to change back into your previous forms." The beast whirled around to gaze upon his three closest servants. Mrs. Potts was looking at herself almost in disgust. She couldn't believe how old she looked! Lumiere and Cogsworth also stared at each other in similar fashion. The unspoken was said when the Beast uttered a single word.

"Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

_"The girl can live again, if you and all of your staff wish to change back into your previous forms." The man whirled around to gaze upon his three closest servants. Mrs. Potts was looking at herself almost in disgust. She couldn't believe how old she looked! Lumierre and Cogsworth also stared at each other in similar fashion. The unspoken was said when the man uttered a single word._

_"Deal."_

________

And then everything became dark. The lightning in the sky vanished, all the lamps were extinguished and when he woke, Beast found himself lying flat on his back in pitch blackness. He sat up and touching his face, realized it was once again covered with fur. He cast about with an arm for something - anything - to reorient himself with his world.

Suddenly, a light flickered to life. It was soon followed by two more and as they came closer, Beast was able to distinguish Lumierre's old form. Behind him hopped Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts. They were all a bit dazed. Cogsworth was the first to speak.

"Well I'm glad that's over with. " He said, relieved. "I had no idea I was so fat. There are advantages to being a clock, after all."

"I agree." Mrs. Potts said. "I felt so… old all of a sudden. In this form I feel as young as ever."

"It's so dark." Lumierre commented. "Where would we be without my candle lights?"

"But what happened?" Beast asked, still perplexed. Nobody answered, as they couldn't remember either. "I remember seeing all of you as humans and myself… BELLE!" He shouted. He seized Lumierre and held him up, casting about for a torch of some sort. He found himself by a wall which fortunately held one. He lit it and soon the room was filled with light.

"Over there! By the balcony." Lumierre gestured at a still form lying just inside the room. The four rushed over.

Beast slowed as he got closer. His breath caught in his throat as he took in her body lying in a pool of blood. Carefully, he knelt beside her and put one paw in front of her mouth. At first he felt nothing, but then a soft breath tickled the fur on his fingers. He blew out a sigh of relief.

"So that demon enchantress hasn't made a fool of me." He muttered to himself. "She's alive." He said to the others, who also sighed in relief.

Tentatively, Beast examined her injuries. The wound in her side had all but disappeared, as had the cut on her shoulder. All that remained were two scars that almost seemed to glow. Beast cupped Belle's head in a massive paw. She didn't move. She remained unconscious and unresponsive. Her face was cold to the touch. Beast gently lifted her limp body and cradled it to his chest, trying to warm her.

His servants gestured for him to follow them and they made their way into the destroyed room with the fireplace. The chair had been ripped to shreds by the battle and shrapnel from the mantelpiece was strewn about. The fireplace however, remained solid. Various undamaged servants hauled a mattress to the room while Lumierre lit the fireplace. Beast gently laid Belle onto the mattress beside the fire. Her face was smudged with blood as was most of her body, even though the wounds had been healed.

Mrs. Potts soon arrived with a basin of warm water and a few towels. Beast realized with a shock that these were the same towels, the same place that she had tended to his wounds before. He gulped guiltily. How could he have let this happen? How? This girl should not have had to protect him!

Using the fine motor skills she had taught him when he learned to use a spoon, he gently wiped away the blood and grime from her face and arms until the water in the basin was tinged pink.

"We should wash the girl in a tub," Mrs. Potts suggested. "But we should wait until she wakes." Beast nodded and sat down beside her bed. He brushed an enormous hand gently over her hair and face. He thought he felt her lean into his hand, but he knew he must be mistaken. Then she moved her fingers a little. Just a twitch, but everybody froze when they saw it. Her eyes flickered open weakly to see her Beast's face and the faces of her new friends around her. She could feel the warmth of a fire on her side. She had never felt so tired in her life. Traces of pain buzzed around her shoulder and her side, but they vanished as she woke up a little more.

"Beast?" She whispered faintly, squinting.

He gaped, speechless.

"What happened?" She asked, seeing all of her friends staring at her in some kind of shock or awe.

"Don't worry about that, dearie," Mrs. Potts said brusquely. Now that you're awake we need to get you cleaned up. She tried to move, but Beast put a paw on her arm. She looked up at him questioningly. With shock, she realized that there were tears in his big blue eyes.

"We almost lost you…" Beast said, his voice low and husky with unshed tears. "We almost lost you…" He repeated. "But you're alive." It seemed as though he were trying to convince himself. She lifted a hand and stroked his face, still confused but moved by his emotion.

"Master, will you please carry her to the tub?" Mrs. Potts asked him.

"Oh no, I should be quite all right." Belle said and made to sit up.

"Please." Beast said almost panicking. "You don't know what happened. Please don't move."

"I don't understand…" She said as he gently lifted her, then she winced. She looked down at the blood covering her body and realization flashed into her brown eyes. "Ohh…" She murmured, and fainted in his arms. She was still breathing steadily though, and seemed in decent shape, so the female occupants of the house washed her in the tub and dressed her before they called Beast to return and carry her back to the room with the fireplace.

Belle woke briefly during the night and found herself very warm and comfortable. She was wrapped warmly in a large blanket and was still lying beside the fire. The pain of the previous evening had vanished, as if washed away by the warm water. She didn't spend too long in thought because her exhausted body cried out for sleep and she did not withhold it.

When Beast awoke the next morning, he sat up from where he had made a bed on the floor beside Belle to find her still deep in sleep just as he had left her the night before. He breakfasted alone that day, as she slept very late.

When Belle woke, she felt infinitely better. She sat up and with a shock, realized that her side and shoulder were completely healed. She was very confused and tried to get to her feet but found that she felt really weak and she collapsed back onto the mattress. She sat up again as Mrs. Potts came into the room.

"Good morning dearie, I'm glad to see you awake." The teapot said cheerily. "You must be famished. We've prepared a late breakfast for you." She ushered in several plates and without another word, Belle dug in. She was indeed very hungry. Once she was done, she began asking a myriad of questions.

"What happened to me?" She asked the teapot. "Why are my wounds healed?"

Mrs. Potts related the story as Belle's eyes got wider and wider. When she mentioned the Beast's answer, she had to cut in.

"How could he make that decision for all of you! Didn't you want to be human again? Didn't you want Chip to be human again? What about everybody else here! Certainly I am not that important." She fumed, angry for her friends.

"Dear, I don't think you could find a single one of us who would have it any other way. I am very old, darling. When I briefly regained my human form I realized this and immediately wished to be turned back into a teapot as strange as it may seem. Cogsworth and Lumierre have also shared similar sentiments as well. Besides, what would we have lived for without you? The master would never have lived with himself in either form without you. Can't you see how much he loves you?" Belle snorted indignantly.

"If he loved me, why didn't he help me fight that moron Gaston? Why didn't he fight for any of you?"

"Belle dear, cares for us yes, but he cares for you more. He thought that you would never return and he fell into despair. All he could hear were his own voices telling him that there was no hope. He drowned out the sounds of battle, even your voice. He was so far gone, he barely even recognized you before it was too late. He loves you, Belle, and so do we."

Belle hugged Mrs. Potts gently, smiling now.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"He is helping clear the damage to the castle door. Can you walk?"

Belle got shakily to her feet, holding onto the damaged chair for support. She was not in pain, just weak from all that her body had gone through. She supported herself against a wall and made her way out into the entrance hall. She turned the corner and found Beast, his cloak hung on a chair, dragging a length of twisted metal out of the room. Step by step she began her trek toward the door, away from the wall. Beast turned just as she stumbled and he managed to catch her and put her back on her feet.

"Why are you walking?" He asked, but not in an accusatory manner. She could tell by the way he held her close that he was only concerned for her well-being. "You should be resting." He said, and gently scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to her bed. He knelt beside her after setting her down gently onto the mattress. He seemed to be trying to tell her something with his eyes. She smiled and took his face in her tiny hands.

"I love you too."


End file.
